Simple yoga moves to improve circulation
Tracy Adshead is a yoga teacher specialising in yoga for seniors. She is passionate about bringing healing and healthy ageing to the community.
Exercise can’t always totally cure the effects of poor circulation or divert you from the temptation of staying on the couch under a blanket when it’s cold outside! But as I tell my senior yoga students every week – keep moving and stay well. Extended periods of sitting can lead to joint deterioration and shortening of the muscles not to mention a decline in balance, something we’d all like to avoid.
So, here are some simple practices that can be done from sitting or standing, taken from hatha yoga. They systematically bring warmth and energy into the whole body. These are low-impact and easy on joints, collectively helping to give your circulation and respiration a boost.
Hands
1. Starting with the hands, move slowly through the body maintaining an awareness of the warmth starting to build up.
2. Lift your hands up in front of you and then let them become limp at the wrist. Begin to shake one hand as if shaking water off your hands. Then try the other hand in the same way. Then both hands together.
Arms
1. Relax both arms down by your side. Begin to swing them loosely, first from the elbow and then from the upper-arm. Shake one arm, then the other, now both arms together.
Feet
1. Lift your right foot off the floor, place both hands under your right knee to support your leg. Relax the foot. Now begin to shake your foot from the ankle. This might take some practice as the muscles in the foot are generally in a contracted condition.
2. Repeat on the other foot.
Knees
1. Again, start by lifting your right foot off the floor and place both hands underneath the knee. Relax the lower leg. Begin to swing the lower leg backwards and forwards, (if your knee joint starts to feel uncomfortable stop the movement).
2. Now begin to shake the lower leg from the knee down. Repeat on the other leg.
Hips
1. If it’s comfortable, stand up and place your chair on your left side so that you can hold on to it. Relax the right leg. Now pick up your right foot and start to swing your right leg backwards and forwards. The give the whole leg a really good shake. If this feels tricky you could place a book under your left foot to give you a bit of space. First one leg, then swoop sides and do the other leg.
The whole body
1. You can do this from standing or from seated. Relax the whole body. Starting again from the hands, start to shake the hands, add the arms, then feet, knees etc; until you are doing the hokey-pokey and “shaking it all about”.
2. Sing, bring smile to your face and feel the wonderful vitality in your body!
Have you found that yoga has helped you improve your physical health? Let us know in the comments below.
Related links:
How to improve your balance with yoga
Gentle yoga moves you can do in bed
10 reasons to give yoga chance